Man Pleads Guilty To Defrauding An Elderly Mystic Victim Of $1.2M

BRIDGEPORT, CT — A resident of Jamaica who was extradited to the U.S. pleaded guilty Wednesday to stealing nearly $1.2 million from an elderly Mystic resident through a lottery scam, federal prosecutors said.

Stieve Fernandez, 35, was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, an offense that carries a maximum prison term of 20 years, according to the United States Attorney for Connecticut, and the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He's due to be sentenced in April.

According to prosecutors, from 2015 to 2018, Fernandez and others, including Minique Morris and Horace Crooks, ran the lottery scam that took the Mystic victim. As part of the scheme, prsecutors said, Fernandez spoke to the victim on the phone and used various pseudonyms, including “Damian Jackson,” “Jesse Jackson,” and “Huckleberry Finn.”

On those calls, Fernandez "falsely claimed that the victim had won a lottery or sweepstakes and was required to pay fees purportedly to cover taxes, insurance, handling and other charges related to the winnings," a news release on the case reads.

The US Attorney said Fernandez told the victim to mail checks and money orders to Morris in Brampton, Ontario, and Crooks in Orlando, Florida; wire money to bank accounts controlled by Morris and Crooks; and buy and send "precious metals products" to Morris and Crooks. "Fernandez told his co-conspirators how to transfer or deliver the fraud proceeds to him in Argentina or Jamaica, where Fernandez resided," prosecutors said.

All told, they took the Mystic person for $1,196,207, the release reads.

In the fall of 2018, a grand jury in New Haven returned a 10-count indictment charging Fernandez, Morris and Crooks with conspiracy and fraud offenses, .prosecutors said. Fernandez was arrested in Jamaica on May 9, 2019, and was later extradited to the US and has been held since, prosecutors said, as Morris and Crooks previously pleaded guilty to the same charge and await sentencing.

The Justice Department has established a National Elder Fraud Hotline to provide services to seniors who may be victims of financial fraud. The Hotline is staffed by experienced case managers who can provide personalized support to callers. Case managers assist callers with reporting the suspected fraud to relevant agencies and by providing resources and referrals to other appropriate services as needed. When applicable, case managers will complete a complaint form with the Federal Bureau of Investigation Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) for Internet-facilitated crimes and submit a consumer complaint to the Federal Trade Commission on behalf of the caller. The Hotline’s toll free number is 833-FRAUD-11 (833-372-8311).